Dubai tower shut after visitors stuck in elevator

FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2010 file photo, the Burj Khalifa , the world's 828 meter tallest building is illuminated during the official opening ceremony in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Burj Khalifa's owner said Monday, Feb. 8, 2010 the observation deck of the world's tallest tower has been unexpectedly shut down, disappointing visitors and marring the spire's reputation just a month after it opened. The precise cause of the $1.5 billion Dubai skyscraper's closure remained unclear. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreil, File)
— AP

FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2010 file photo, the Burj Khalifa , the world's 828 meter tallest building is illuminated during the official opening ceremony in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Burj Khalifa's owner said Monday, Feb. 8, 2010 the observation deck of the world's tallest tower has been unexpectedly shut down, disappointing visitors and marring the spire's reputation just a month after it opened. The precise cause of the $1.5 billion Dubai skyscraper's closure remained unclear. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreil, File)
/ AP

People are shown where to queue for a refund of their money at the ticket counter after the observation deck of the world's tallest tower, Burj Khalifa was unexpectedly shut down in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 8, 2010. The closure is potentially disappointing thousands of tourists and marring the spire's image just a month after it opened. The precise cause of the $1.5 billion Dubai skyscraper's closure remained unclear. In a brief statement responding to questions, building owner Emaar Properties blamed the closure on "unexpected high traffic," but then suggested that electrical problems were also at fault. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)— AP

People are shown where to queue for a refund of their money at the ticket counter after the observation deck of the world's tallest tower, Burj Khalifa was unexpectedly shut down in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 8, 2010. The closure is potentially disappointing thousands of tourists and marring the spire's image just a month after it opened. The precise cause of the $1.5 billion Dubai skyscraper's closure remained unclear. In a brief statement responding to questions, building owner Emaar Properties blamed the closure on "unexpected high traffic," but then suggested that electrical problems were also at fault. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
/ AP

A man sweeps the entrance of Burj Khalifa's observation deck next to a model of the world's tallest tower after it has been unexpectedly shut down in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 8, 2010. The closure is potentially disappointing thousands of tourists and marring the spire's image just a month after it opened. The precise cause of the $1.5 billion Dubai skyscraper's closure remained unclear. In a brief statement responding to questions, building owner Emaar Properties blamed the closure on "unexpected high traffic," but then suggested that electrical problems were also at fault. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)— AP

A man sweeps the entrance of Burj Khalifa's observation deck next to a model of the world's tallest tower after it has been unexpectedly shut down in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 8, 2010. The closure is potentially disappointing thousands of tourists and marring the spire's image just a month after it opened. The precise cause of the $1.5 billion Dubai skyscraper's closure remained unclear. In a brief statement responding to questions, building owner Emaar Properties blamed the closure on "unexpected high traffic," but then suggested that electrical problems were also at fault. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
/ AP

People queue for a refund of their money at the ticket counter after the observation deck of the world's tallest tower, Burj Khalifa was unexpectedly shut down in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 8, 2010. The closure is potentially disappointing thousands of tourists and marring the spire's image just a month after it opened. The precise cause of the $1.5 billion Dubai skyscraper's closure remained unclear. In a brief statement responding to questions, building owner Emaar Properties blamed the closure on "unexpected high traffic," but then suggested that electrical problems were also at fault. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)— AP

People queue for a refund of their money at the ticket counter after the observation deck of the world's tallest tower, Burj Khalifa was unexpectedly shut down in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 8, 2010. The closure is potentially disappointing thousands of tourists and marring the spire's image just a month after it opened. The precise cause of the $1.5 billion Dubai skyscraper's closure remained unclear. In a brief statement responding to questions, building owner Emaar Properties blamed the closure on "unexpected high traffic," but then suggested that electrical problems were also at fault. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
/ AP

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates 
Visitors on the observation deck of the world's tallest tower heard a loud boom, then saw dust that looked like smoke seeping through a crack in an elevator door 124 floors above the ground. The 15 people inside were trapped for 45 frightening minutes until rescuers managed to pry open the doors.

Because the elevator was apparently stuck between floors, rescuers had to drop a ladder into the shaft so those inside could crawl out. On the observation deck, about 60 more people were stranded and some began to panic.

Shortly after the drama unfolded on Saturday evening, the half-mile-high Burj Khalifa that was supposed to be one of Dubai's proudest achievements shut down to the public just a month after its grandiose opening. It was the latest embarrassment for the once-booming Gulf city-state that is now mired in a deep financial crisis.

Witnesses who were on the 124th floor observation deck at the time and a Dubai rescue official recounted on Tuesday the chain of events that led up to the shutdown in interviews with The Associated Press.

Emaar Properties, the state-linked company that owns Burj Khalifa, has said little about the incident and nothing about an elevator malfunction. It had no comment Tuesday.

It remains unclear what caused the elevator to the observation deck - the only part of the building that was open - to fail.

Michael Timms, 31, an American telecommunications engineer who lives in Dubai, was on the observation deck with his cousin Michele Moscato when the ordeal began.

"It almost sounded like a small explosion. It was a really loud bang," Timms said.

It would take another 45 minutes for rescue crews to arrive and pry open the elevator door, he said.

From what he saw, the elevator's roof looked to be about where the floor should have been, so rescuers hoisted a ladder into the shaft to help those trapped inside crawl out. Some were clearly shaken.

"One lady I saw ... she didn't say a word," Timms said. "She just looked shocked and dazed, then walked directly to the wall and sat down on the floor."

Abu Naseer, a spokesman for Dubai's civil defense department, said the call for help came in around 6:20 p.m. Saturday evening. Emergency crews used another elevator to reach the observation deck and were able to rescue all 15 people in the elevator unharmed, he said.

The incident was the latest to tarnish the international reputation of Dubai, one of seven small sheikdoms that make up the United Arab Emirates.

In recent years, Dubai boomed on borrowed wealth that went into extravagant real estate projects such as islands shaped like palm trees and rows of striking new skyscrapers.

Then the financial crisis hit and real estate prices plunged to half their value in a year. The government and many state-run companies struggled to pay their bills - debts that surpassed $80 billion. Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital and Dubai's oil-rich neighbor, pumped $20 billion in bailout funds to rescue Dubai.